Pipe-wrench.



C. McCROBA.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 16, 191'4. RENEWED DEC. 1.1915.

Patented. Jan. 25, 1916.

WIT NESSES:

ATTORNEY.

THE coumum PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D. v:v

@MTED TATE PATENT @FFTQFQ.

CHARLES MGCROBA, 0F BELLAIRE, OHIO.

' PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1914, Serial No. 818,824. Renewed December 1, 1915. Serial No. 64,580.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES MCCROBA, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Bellaire, county of Belmont, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-VVrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to wrenches, and specifically to a pipe wrench.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pipe wrench which is quickly and conveniently adjustable to adapt it for application to pipes of widely varying sizes.

A further object is to provide a pipe wrench having a slidable jaw which may be adjusted to any desired position without the use of levers, threaded adjusting elements, or the like, and which, when adjusted into gripping relation to a pipe interposed be tween the jaws, maintains such relation until the movable jaw is retracted.

A still further object is to provide a wrench which is strong and durable, which is extremely simple in its construction, and which may be manufactured at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the features of construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is an inner edge view of the same; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section on the line t-t, Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig 2, showing a modification; and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating characters distinguished like parts throughout the several views 1 indicates a metal body having at one end thereof an integral upwardly and rearwardly inclined jaw 2 which is provided with forwardly extending teeth 3 on that edge which faces said body. Formed integral with said body at the opposite end thereof is a handle 4 which may be of any preferred form.

The upper, or inner, edge portion of the body is swelled outward at opposite sides to form a portion of increased width in which is provided a longitudinal channel 5 of uni.- form depth and width throughout, said channel being bounded on opposite sides by substantially upright walls 6 which terminate at their upper edges in inturned or in wardly directed bead-like portions or ribs 7. Slidably mounted in said channel 5 is a wedge-shaped jaws having its smaller end forward and having its outer inclined face provided with rearwardly directed teeth 9 adapted to cooperate with the teeth 3 of the fixed jaw 2 for gripping an interposed pipe. Said movable jaw is adapted to wedgingly engage a pipe which is engaged on one side by the jaw 2.

Means are preferably provided for yieldingly maintaining the movable jaw in a stationary position intermediate the ends of the channel 5, preventing the free and unobstructed sliding of said jaw which would otherwise be incident to handling of the wrench when not disposed in gripping relation to a pipe, or when not in use. lVhile such means may be varied considerably, they comprise in thepresent instance coil springs 10 and 11 disposed in abutting pressure-exerting relation to the opposite ends of said movable jaw, the spring 10 being interposed between the inner end of said jaw and a seat 12 which is afforded therefor at the front end of the channel 5, and the spring 11 be lng interposed between the rear end of said jaw and a seat 13 aiforded at the corresponding end of said channel.

The upright walls 6 loosely embrace the lower portion of the jaw 8 on opposite sides, and the bead-like portions or ribs 7 fit within longitudinal grooves or channels 14 provided in the opposite sides of said jaw, as is clearly shown in Fig. t, thus preventing the dissociation of said jaw from the body 1. Said ribs also serve to confine the springs 10 and 11 within the channel 5.

Prior to the assembling of the parts, each of the walls 6 preferably has a slight outward inclination (not shown) which allows the movable jaw and the springs to be readily inserted, after which said walls are forced to the upright position shown, wherein said parts assume a substantially clovetail. relation. The springs 10 and 11 are made quite weak so that no unnecessary resistance will be offered thereby in effect ing the shifting of the position of the movable jaw. In practice, the fixed jaw 2 is hooked over the pipe or other article to be acted upon, and, according to whether the article is of a smaller or larger size than may be directly gripped by the two jaws when the movable jaw occupies its normal position, the said movable jaw is pressed forward or drawn back by hand until the proper width of space is formed for receiving the pipe.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and v6, the body 1 has a substantially rectangular form in cross-section and has extensions 6 which stand upright above the level thereof. Said extensions have their edges inturned to form flanges 7 which are loosely received in channels or grooves 14 provided in the movable jaw 8. The spring 11 seats at its outer end against a transversely disposed lug 13 or other like fixed portion. The channel in the body constitutes a slideway in which the movable jaw operates. The pipe-engaging faces of the jaws are so disposed with respect to each other that a forwardly tapered pipe-receiving space is formed therebetween, said space being decreased or increased in width with the advancement and retraction, respectively, of the slidable wedge-like jaw. The formation of the movable jaw in wedge shape rather than of uniform thickness throughout results in an increased and more readily obtainable grip being afforded and in the more ready release of the jaws from a pipe engaged thereby, thus rendering the wrench specially adapted for a ratchet like use.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide a wrench of extremely simple construction wherein the movable jaw may be adjusted instantly to adapt the device for gripping any of a variety of sizes of pipe, a slight forwardly directed pressure or a slight rearward pull applied to the movable jaw sufficing to accomplishthe adjustment against the tension of the light jaw-holding springs. As is obvious, either or both of said springs may be dispensed with if desired without'in any way affecting the general operation of the wrench.

lVhat is claimed is A wrench comprising a body having a handle at one end and a rearwardly inclined fixed jaw at the other end and overhanging the body, a slideway in the body having integral rigid seats formed at each end, the walls of the slideway having their upper edges formed with inwardly directed beads which extend the entire length of the walls, a movable jaw having grooves in its sides and extending the entire length thereof and slidably engaging the beads, and coil springs each having one end engaged with the end of a movable jaw and the other end engaged with the adjacent seat fornormally holding said jaw with its ends spaced from the seats, said beads overhanging and being engaged with the springs to prevent accidental v displacement thereof from the slideway;

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature I es in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES MCGBOBA. V

Witnesses:

WRIGHT McCRoBA, H. E. DUNLAP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissionerof fatents.

Washington, D. G. 

